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FLOOR PLAN AND FRONT VIEW OF 

The Hygeia Hotel, Old Point Comfort, Ta. 



The Hygeia Hotel is situaled at OKI Point Comfort, Va, Im 
mediately m front of Fortress Monroe, and f rontme Cliesane'iki 
bay and Hampton Koads. The steamboat landing is wifhiu a 
Hundred yards ot the hotel door, and. the waters of the bar rN 
lug ,o wituin a tew feet of the verandas, visitors are enabled 
t„ enjoy the pleasures ol surl bathing without the drawback of 
a fatigumg rwo lo and from the beacu 

f ortress Jtonioe with its lamous ArtUlery School is within a 
minute s walk, and is always open to visitors Its parade eroilnd 
is beautifully shaded wuu l.ve-oaks, and its ra£par[i ?ffeTa 
pieasaut anu breezy pipiueuade. The daily dre» parades arv 
mliveued with the music of a tine band, and open air coucerS 
on the parade ground are given three nights in every week \ 
fuU baud is also engaged (or the service of the Hotel and the 
spacious pavihon, open to the sea breeze, is every' eveuu^ 
turonged with dancers. The tacilities for bathhig aud hsh u^ 
are unsurpassed, and the neighborhood abounoi in pl"as^,iu 
drives ana places ot mteresu Tue iSormal School, the Soldier" 
Home, and the quaint old Town of bainpton being all wSii 
the limits ot an easy drive or sad . * "'^mn 

The cUmate of Old Point Comfort is uneuuaUed for salubri- 
ty, malaria:, FBVKRS BEJNO ABSOLUTELY DWK^OWS The ree.mls 

of the Meteorological observatory for the past ten years sliow 
an average temperature of lji>=', r4°. 70° in summer' ;o* 511" 
«,'> in autumn; J5°. 44°, *.» in whiter; aud 4S° hx^ tis" iv.r 
spring, 

for sleeplessness aud nervousness the delicious touio of the 
puie ocean au-, and the lullaby of the ocean waves roUine un on 
mo sandy bench but a few feet from the bed-room windows ari 
most heatlitm soporitics at tUe Hygeia, ' 

AS a resort for pieasuie-seekois and invalids, and us a rest- 
ing-place for tourists on their way to I'loridu or to the Korth 
this Mouse, witu Its acconmiodations for upwards of two neonle' 
presents mducemonts whicn certainly cannot be e-xceeded else' 
where. 

it can be reached from New York tri-weekly, by the elegant 
ships ot the old Liuminion cteamship 00., leaving pier ^7 ^orth 
itiver, on Tuesdays, Tnursdiiys, anu Kalurdaya; or from the 
same city and ruuadelpma daily, by rad to Ualtimore aud 
llieiice by steamers o( the Old liay i^ine Iroiu canton Wharf 
uady couuiiuuication uy Uie same route from Washinetoii 
via Baltimore, ami direct trom Washington, bv steamers 
■Jane JUoseley," "Lady of the Lake,'" and 'tleo. Learv "' 
From iticmnond the steamer • Ariel " leaves Mond'ay 
vVeduesday and Friday; sleamer "Schuyler," Monday and 
Thursday ; and daily cou.munication tr'oin Richmond and 
I'etei'Sburg by rad to rlorfolk, tbeuce liy Bay Line steam- 
ers, whicu connect closely- with the radways from the 
South and West. An almost hourly comniumcation is 
uiamtainea with Norfolk, by above named steamers al- 
so "iN. i'. Jiaaks," and "Accomack," toucliuig on their 
way to and from New i'wk, lialtimore, Washington, Uich- 
moud, Petersburg, Yorktovu, Mathews, Cherrystone, Cobb's 
Island, Hampton, and binitUleld, 

The accoinpauying diagiam wdl be of service to parties (k'- 
siriug to secure rooms in auvance of tneir arrival, 1 ho numeral 
ligui-es refer to the numben ot apartments, and should always 
be stated when writing to sjcure rooms. The letters, A Ji C 
refer lo the iiiaxunum number 01 guests which can be accom- 
modated m each room: 

tvooms marked A wdl atcommodate from 1 to ti pei-sons. 
JJ " " " lto6 

C " " ■■ lto4 

" " " ■ ItoS 

li " ■■ " itoa 

TE.R.M.S . 
Transient, $3 50 per day . 

June and August Weekly, 818,00. 

Monthly, . , SftiS.OO. 

July, Weekly SSU,UU. 

, Monthly *76,U0. 

t=B^ Chddren under ten and occupying seats at children's 
table, half price, servants accoruing to tne accommodations 
furnished, usually three-fourth rates. 

When more man two piisons occupy same room a liberal 
reduction ot rates wdl be aade, depenuing upon the size and 
location of the room, numbtr in party, length ef tsay etc 
bor further iidormation, address: 

H. PHOEBUS, Proprietor. 




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FIRST FLOOR 




A MONOGRAPH 



ON 



OLD POINT COMFORT. 



VIRGINIA. 



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ONl^'i 



PHILADELPHIA: 

ALLEN, LANE & SCOTT, BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS, 
No. 233 South Fifth Street. 



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Wo 




OLD POINT COMFORT. 



' \t^^ many miles north of Hatteras, the stormy cape dreaded of 

I mariners, and scene of many a shipwreck, the inhospitable 

ill Atlantic coast suddenly opens, and through a broad gateway 

of waters, admits the voyager to a sheltered inland sea. 

Through this gateway, and into this inland sea, the good ship 

I "Susan Constant" boldly steered her way, two hundred years 

jL and more ago. But let brave Captain Newport spin his yarn in 

/ •" his own old-fashioned way, and say how looked the goodly Chesa- 
peake to the first English eyes that ever beheld it : — 

" There is but one entrance into this countiy, and that is at the mouth 
of a very goodly bay, eighteen or twenty miles broad. The cape on the 
south is called Cape Henry, in honor of our most noble Prince. The land, 
white hilly sand, like unto the Downs, and all along the shores great 
plenty of pines and firs. The north cape is called Cape Charles, in honor 
of the worthy Duke of York. This bay lies north and south, in which 
the water flows nearly two hundred miles, and has a channel of one hun- 
dred and forty miles, of depth between six and fifteen fathoms, holding in 
breadth, for the most part, ten or fourteen miles. From the head of the 
bay, to the north-west, the land is mountainous, and so in a manner from 
thence in a south-west line; so that the farther southward, the farther 
off" from the bay are those mountains ; from which fall certain brooks, 
which after come to fine, principal navigable rivers." 

As the goodly vessel steered from the entrance between the capes 
towards the west, the voyagers saw before them "a country not moun 
tainous, nor yet low ; but such pleasant plain hills and fertile valleys, 
one prettily crossing another, and watered so conveniently with fresh 
brooks, and springs not less commodious than delightful. The first of 
these delightful and navigable rivers, on the west side the bay, is called 
Powhattan, on account of the name of a principal country that lies upon 
it. It falls from rocks far west, in a country inhabited by a nation called 
Monacans. This river is enriched with many goodly brooks, among 
which is the brook of Chesapeak." 

Towards the mouth of this fair river Powhattan the voyagers directed 
their course; and as the setting sun tinged the western sky with gold, 
they furled their weary sails, and cast anchor in the broad roadstead, 
now known to every mariner that sails the sea as Hampton Roads. 

(7) 



8 

How they pursued their explorations, and found their way to the mighty 
falls of the great river Powhatan, — would they could have left it its old 
poetic name, commemorative of its Indian sovereign, — how they negotiated, 
and feasted, and trafficked with the natives, buying corn and cedar- 
wood, and feasting on the luscious fish and oysters whose descendants 
tickle our palates to this day, these things are written in the narrative 
of that seventeenth century hero, John Smith, soldier, sailor, diploma- 
tist, discoverer, and Heaven only knows what beside. Pass we to another 
scene in the history of the infant colony. 

In July, 1608, Captain John Smith, with a select party of adventu- 
rers, started in an open boat on a voyage of exploration of the shores 
of Chesapeake Bay. Like men of wisdom, before striking out into the 
broad waters of the bay, they tarried for a space at Hampton, then called 
Kecoughtan, which, even at that early day, was noted for its fish and 
oysters, and celebrated for its hospitality. How the unaccustomed palates 
of the adventurers must have been tickled by their first taste of shad, 
and with what surpassing gusto they must have reveled over their first 
dish of soft crabs ! 

The modern visitor to this locality, Hampton, will have little trouble 
in locating the site of the Indian village where Smith and his compan- 
ions were so hospitably entertained : " Kecoughtan contains about eighteen 
houses, pleasantly situated upon three acres of ground, upon a plain half 
environed with a great bay of the great river, the other part with a bay 
of another river, with a little isle, fit for a castle, in the mouth thereof." 

After resting and refreshing themselves for a space at Kecoughtan, 
the explorers proceeded on their way, and traced the western shore of 
the great bay as far as the entrance to the Piankatank river. But here 
misfortune overtook them. A mighty storm arose, with thunder, vivid 
lightning, and furious rain. In their open shallop they were exposed 
to the full force of the blast, and sought in vain to stem its fury, and 
find their way into some convenient harbor. Unable to ride at anchor, 
or to face the wind, they put their frail bark before it, and, guided by 
occasional glimpses of the land, caught by the fitful glare of the light- 
ning, they scudded to the southward. York river was passed, and still 
the gale pursued them ; Back river gave no shelter, and the storm was 
ever at their heels: until at last they reached the sandy spit of land 
which thrust itself out into the entrance of the James, and rounding to 
under its lee, found shelter from the gale, and named the place, in very 
thankfulness of heart, POINT Comfort. 

And a point of comfort it has been indeed to many a goodly vessel 
since that day. Hither, when the fierce east wind lashes the Atlantic 
into fury, the white-winged coasting schooners flee by scores for shelter, 
and bide the time when gentle westerly breezes shall woo them forth, 
and encourage them upon their way. Hither come the merchant ships 
of every nation and from every port, as to a convenient resting-place, 
whence they can notify their arrivals and receive orders for their final 
destinations. Here rendezvoused the ships which brought from England 
the welcome succors to the starving colony at Jamestown. Here, during 
the struggle for American Independence, the fleet of France rode proudly 



at their anchors, and made final preparation for their share in that cam- 
paign which terminated so gloriously in the surrender of Cornwallis at 
Yorktown, And hither, after the signal repulse of their attack on Nor- 
folk, the British fleet repaired in 1813, and rested tranquilly at anchor, 
while their armed boats carried fire, sword, and rapine into the peaceful 
and defenceless town of Hampton. 

Old Point Comfort, the adjective "old" having been added to its 
original designation to distinguish it from its sister shelter, New Point 
Comfort, higher up the bay, is situated about sixteen miles from Norfolk, 
and two and a half miles from the old and picturesque town of Hampton. 
It is formed by a sandy spit or point of land, which thrusts itself from 
the main-land on the western side of Chesapeake Bay, southwardly into 
the James, contracting the mouth of the river into a narrow channel, 
through which the tide ebbs and flows with considerable velocity and 
force. Commanding, as it does, the entrance to the great water high- 
way of Virginia, its importance in a military point of view was early 
recognized, and an act was procured to be passed by the legislature of 
the State of Virginia, ceding it to the United States Government, to be 
used as the site of a military post. General Simon Bernard, a foreign 
engineer officer of eminence, who entered the American service soon 
after the close of the war of 181 2, was employed to design the fortifi- 
cations, and in the year 18 17 the ground plan was traced, and the work 
of erecting Fortress Monroe commenced. 

The general plan of this celebrated work is that of an irregular hexa- 
gon, two sides of which command the water frontages, while four look 
out upon the land. On the land sides the ramparts are solid, with the 
exception of some of the flanks, which are casemated, but on the sides 
towards the water the armament consists of two tiers of guns, one case- 
mated, and one en barbette. A broad moat, in which the tide rises to 
a height of jeight feet at high water, surrounds the entire structure, and 
is crossed by wooden bridges leading from the main entrance, and the 
different sally-ports; while water batteries and other outworks are added 
to the defenses of the water front. The ramparts rise to a height of 
seventeen feet above high water. 

The interior of the fortress is conveniently laid out with broad and 
partially-shaded walks. Numerous live-oaks are planted about the parade- 
ground and elsewhere, and a superstition prevails among the inhabitants 
of Old Point Comfort, to which all well-disposed visitors are expected 
to subscribe, that the northern rampart of Fortress Monroe marks the 
limit north of which the live-oak has never grown, and never may, 
shall, or can grow in future. A pretty little chapel, aptly christened 
the Church of the Centurion, stands near the parade-ground, and a chap- 
lain being permanently stationed at the post, the garrison and visitors 
enjoy the privileges of divine service every Sunday. 

It was not until the outbreak of the late civil war, however, that the 
true importance of Fortress Monroe became manifest, not only as a defen- 
sive work, but as a base and starting-point for offensive operations. 
It is scarcely too much to say, that without the possession of this im- 
portant post, the armies of the United States would never have been 



lO 

able to hold their own. Here, at the outset of the Peninsular campaign, 
McClellan's army assembled, and hither they returned when foiled in 
their attempt upon the capital of the Confederacy. In Hampton Roads, 
beneath the sheltering guns of Fortress Monroe, the great armada ren- 
dezvoused and completed its preparations for the attack on Hatteras 
Inlet. From hence Burnside's army sailed in August, 1862, to engage 
in the disastrous campaign of the Rappahannock ; and here, throughout 
the entire war, was the permanent base of operations, the storehouse of 
supplies, for the forces operating by land and by water. 

To the curious student of the naval history of the United States, Old 
Point Comfort must ever possess peculiarly interesting associations. In 
the adjacent waters occurred, and from its beach was witnessed, the first 
encounter between iron-armored vessels of war. In the early afternoon 
of March 7th, 1862, the Union flset lying at anchor, near Newport News, 
about six miles from Fortress Monroe, beheld with astonishment a 
nondescript vessel propelled by steam, issuing from the mouth of the 
Elizabeth river, and heading directly towards them, with evident hostile 
intentions. Contemptuously disregarding a broadside delivered at point- 
blank range by the frigate Congress, the monster headed directly for 
the frigate Cumberland, and, amidst a shower of missiles which rebounded 
harmlessly from her iron covering, she hurled herself fair upon the 
Union ship, crushing in her sides like paper, with the shock. There 
were heavy hearts at Old Point Comfort that night, and all looked anxi- 
ously for the morrow, dreading the reappearance of the apparently in- 
vincible Confederate monster. But when at dawn of day the Merrimac, 
or, according to her new baptism, the Virginia, reappeared, there lay in 
Hampton Roads awaiting her, what seemed to be a floating raft, with 
a turret rising from her centre. It was the world-famous Monitor, just 
completed by her inventor, and arrived from New York the night 
previous, *" 

The fight which ensued has been described by a thousand pens, in 
every language spoken of civilized man. The Virginia had met her 
match; and, although not seriously disabled, the wonderful expectations 
that had been formed by her projectors were forever dispelled, and her 
offensive career suddenly ended when the evacuation of Norfolk was de- 
termined on by the Confederate leaders. A vain attempt was made to 
lighten her sufficiently to enable her to ascend the James river, where she 
might have been serviceable in aiding the defense of Richmond ; but this 
proving futile, she was run ashore, abandoned by her crew, and blown up. 
With her destruction ended the only serious attempt made to oust from the 
United States Government the possession of Fortress Monroe during the 
entire war. Her antagonist survived her less than a year ; and on the i ith 
of December, 1862, a little more than nine months after the famous 
battle, the Monitor went down in a gale of wind off Cape Hatteras. 

For years bei'"ore the war Old Point Comfort had been celebrated as a 
watering-place. The singular salubrity of its location, malarial fevers 
being totally unknown, assured it a wide celebrity as a place of residence 
during the heated summer months. The mildness of the climate also 
aided to produce the same result. From the broad Atlantic the winds, tem- 



II 

pered with the salt exhalations of the sea, sweep towards it, bearing cool- 
ness and tonic invigoration upon their wings. The temperature in summer 
ranges between sixty and seventy-six degrees, and the nights are few when a 
bed covering is not found an agreeable necessity of repose. The gentry 
of the upper country flocked hither during the summer months, to enjoy 
the unaccustomed luxuries of sea bathing and fishing; its proximity to 
an important garrisoned post, furnished with an enduring nucleus of re- 
fined and educated society, and the broad piazzas of the old Hygeia Hotel 
resounded through many a lengthened summer with the merry laughter of 
Baltimore, Richmond, and Southern belles, or faintly echoed to the grave 
deliberations of statesmen thither come in quest, at once, of rest and con- 
sultation. 

The outbreak of the war which wrought so many changes, interposed 
an abrupt interruption to the career of Old Point Comfort as a resort of 
pleasure. Military necessity demanded the demolition of the hotel build- 
ing, which interfered materially with the range of the guns of the fortress; 
and even had this not been the case, the hosts of quondam pleasure- 
seekers had other and stei'ner duties to perform. The squires of dames 
were scattered far and wide ; and the youths who in by-gone seasons had 
played their parts in quadrille or cotillion, now sternly confronted each 
other on the field of battle, or yielded up their lives at the sacred call of 
duty. The belles, whose presence had lent life and grace to the ball- 
room, now cheerfully busied themselves in those feminine labors where- 
with woman ever strives to soften warlike horrors ; and the statesmen had 
now ample and absorbing occupation in guiding the counsels of the con- 
tending governments. Grim-visaged war dropped down its sable curtain 
upon the theatre of pleasure : and for long weary years Old Point Com- 
fort was known and regarded only as an important military post in posses- 
sion of the United States. 

. Nor was it until several years after the return of peace that the Hygeia 
Hotel arose from its ashes, and Old Point Comfort re-asserted its position 
as one of the foremost watering-places of the Atlantic coast. Its old 
clientage was largely scattered and dispersed; a new generation had 
arisen, which knew it only traditionally, as a place to which pleasure- 
seekers used to resort in ante bellum days ; and time was required for the 
public to re-discover and appreciate its advantages. But, under the liberal 
and energetic management of the present proprietor of the hotel, these 
difficulties were gradually overcome. Each successive year witnessed an 
increasing influx of visitors. The modest building which had at fii'st 
offered ample accommodations, required successive enlargements and 
additions; until at the present time a substantial edifice fronts the bay, 
with comfortable quarters for over six hundred guests, and fitted with 
every improvement which modern ingenuity has devised to add to the 
comfort of hotel life. 

Let us visit the place ourselves, and see with our own eyes the changes 
that have occurred since that time, scarcely two hundred and fifty years 
agone, when bold John Smith and his companions feasted on oysters at 
Kecoughtan, and fled for shelter from the angry Chesapeake to the bay 
behind the point. Let us suppose ourselves to have started from Baltimore 



12 

or Washington, and enjoyed a refreshing night's rest on one of the steam- 
boats that ply ijetween those cities and Norfolk. 

It is a lovely June morning when we leave our state-rooms and step out 
on deck to catch a whifF of the fresh, delightful morning air. Unruffled 
as a summer lake, the tranquil Chesapeake lies stretched before us, the 
quiet calm of its surface broken only by the rush of the swift steamer as 
she cleaves her onward way. To our right, and parallel with our steam- 
er's course, extends that self-same shore which greeted Newport's sea- 
weary eyes, and along which Smith's open boat was wildly driven by the 
pursuing tempest. To the left, the light-house on Cape Charles shows 
like a pillar beneath the rising sun, while beyond it stretches the broad 
Atlantic. A fleet of white-winged sloops and schooners is about us, their 
idle sails swinging to the gentle motion of the waters, as if impatient for 
the wind ; while further out, a stately ship, with all sail set, has caught 
the ocean breeze, and moves like a thing of life. And right ahead, where 
still another coast extends from right to left, we catch sight of an opening 
in the land, and see the granite walls and turf-covered ramparts of the 
fortress, and the broad balconies of the Hygeia. As we draw nearer, the 
gap in the land widens, and the expanse of Hampton Roads is before us. 
A perfect fleet of vessels is at anchor. A stately frigate, whose broad 
pennant marks her as a flagship, lies in mid-channel, like a watch-dog 
before the door it is his duty to guard. Our approach has been seen from 
her decks, and already a boat i^nned by sturdy rowers is pulling for the 
shore to get the mail we bring. Behind her lies a clipper bark, deep laden 
with coffee from Rio Janeiro, awaiting orders from her owners directing 
her to what port she must repair to discharge her cargo. Near by, an 
English ship, whose shattered foremast betokens that she has come hither 
in distress, is waiting for the tug that has been sent to tow her to Norfolk, 
Richmond, or Baltimore for repairs. A comely brigantine, with staves 
from Norfolk to Barbadoes comes next; and beyond her, and on every 
side, lie ships and barks and brigs and schooners, inward and outward 
bound, deep laden and light, in what, to an unpractised landsman's eye, 
appears inextricable confusion. 

A strong flood-tide is running, compelling us to do that which the mari- 
ner technically denominates to round to; the translated significance of 
which phrase is, that we must run somewhat past our destination, de- 
scribe a half circle, and approach the wharf with our bows pointing against 
the tide. All of which is accurately and scientifically done, the lines are 
thrown out, the usual performance upon the engineer's bell ensues, and 
we are at liberty to step ashore, if not absolutely upon the classic shore of 
Old Point Comfort, at least upon the firm and solid Government wharf 
leading thereto. 

And, by the way, it is worth noting, the difference between our recep- 
tion here, and that we have been accustomed to meet elsewhere in our 
travels. At another watering- place, we should have been met by a crowd 
of vociferous hackmen, bawling hotel porters, and other terrible creatures 
whose pursuit in life is to lie in wait for the unwary traveler. But, won- 
der of wonders ! at this place not so much as a vender of peanuts impor- 
tunes us to spend our money. A couple or more of blue-coated sentries 



13 

are stationed at the wharf-head : a group of officers are chatting together, or 
may be watching for the debarkation of some expected friends. A solitary 
porter, sable, respectful, voiceless save when spoken to, stands ready with 
a hand truck to take our luggage; and, consigning our chattels to the care 
of this reconstructed African, we stand watching until the boat's short stay 
alongside the wharf is concluded, and then saunter leisurely up to the 
hotel. Right at the end of the wharf stands our hosteliy, so close that 
from the planking of the pier to the flooring of the verandah one may 
step without even putting foot upon the ground. Of course, like expe- 
rienced and provident travelers, we have telegraphed in advance of our 
coming to secure our rooms; the efficient hotel clerk consigns us without 
parley to the guidance of an attendant; and, following this sable Mercury 
along corridors and up the smooth working elevator, we come at length to 
our room. 

Now praised be Phoebus, god of the gilded bow and monarch of the rising 
sun ! Literally, and in very fact, let us return thanks to him, for know 
that our host of the Hygeia is of his family, and x-ejoices in his name. 
Heaven bless thee, Phoebus, and reward thee for thy kindly forethought 
for our comfort ! Our room fronts upon the bay, and through the open 
window we look out upon its animated surface, while the hoarse sullen 
murmur of the surf rises to our ears from the beach below, and from afar 
there reaches us the musical clank — clank — of the windlass of a ship 
weighing anchor, tempered by the half-melancholy minor chant of the 
sailors as they heave upon their bars. 

And now that we have seen our room, and watched the stowing away 
of our belongings, let us descend once more, and see what manner of 
place this is about us. 

In the first place, know that we are under a military despotism here. 
Those blue- coated sentries, whom we saw posted on the wharf what time 
we landed, were representatives of the army of occupation which holds 
Old Point Comfort in subjection. Here the only local law-giver is the 
general commanding the post; and, oh blessed thought ! there be no mu- 
nicipal elections, and no mass meetings ! An altogether lovely place to 
live in, isn't it? and by the meditative look of your expressive features I 
can see that you are thinking whether it mightn't be worth while to buy 
an acre or two of land hereabouts, and build a cottage for your summer 
residence. Deluded soul, that dreams of bliss ! not all the millions of 
Vanderbilt or Astor would avail to purchase the fee simple of a single rood 
of this sandy soil; and to enable you to erect even the most modest of 
cottages, a special bill must be introduced into the Congress of your com- 
mon country, must be referred to appropriate committees, reported on, read 
various times, passed, and approved by the chief Executive. That done, 
you may put your house in order ; but in the meantime, you'll find the 
Hygeia a comfortable place to stop at. 

Past the site of the hotel, a smooth shell-road runs from the wharf, con- 
necting Old Point Comfort with the State of Virginia, and the continent 
generally. And as we have some hours to while away before dinner, and 
must be on hand this afternoon and evening for the artillery practice, the 
dress parade, and the hotel hop, suppose we charter a buggy and start out 



14 

upon a tour of exploration ? We drive through the little town of official 
and privileged residences, past the gray walls of the fortress, and are 
speedily in the open country. 

This broad expanse of water, spanned by a substantial bridge, rejoices 
in the poetic appellation of Mill Creek, and serves to separate Old Point 
Comfort from the county of Elizabeth City which lies beyond a fringe of 
pleasant-looking residences borders the farther shore, and the sanctity of 
the point is guarded, and the straying of the enlisted men of the garrison 
thereof prevented, by a guard-house, with its proper quota of sentinels, 
midway across the bridge. 

The worthy citizens of Elizabeth City county have had the good taste 
and wisdom to abolish fences; and as we drive along we see the crops 
growing down to the very edge of the roadside ; the lusty corn, luxuriating 
in the summer sun, the thickly-headed broom corn, the wheat fast ripening 
for the harvest, with interlying meadows, and fields of potatoes and other 
"trucks." The gateway of the Soldiers' Home invites us to the left; and 
turning in that direction, we enter upon a firm and well-built road which 
leads directly to the doors of the institution. 

It would be difficult to imagine a pleasanter retreat than this for a bat- 
tered and worn-out campaigner. Right in front of us, stretching away to 
the southward, is the broad expanse of Hampton Roads, dotted and ani- 
mated with hundreds of vessels of all sizes, from the tiny canoe to the 
stately ocean steamer. The grounds that front the water are laid out in 
pleasant walks that wind among parterres of flowers dotted with tasteful 
statuary and other ornaments ; while in the midst a brass field-piece, bright 
as the risen sun, mai'ks the military character of the place, and sends its 
thunder echoing across the bay each morning and each evening. Never 
were veterans more tenderly cared for than here ; billiard-tables, bowling- 
alleys, even a theatre, are provided for their amusement; and under the 
efficient guardianship of Captain Woodfin, the present governor, their 
every want appears to be anticipated. A police force, composed of in- 
mates of the house, patrols the grounds, and neatness, order, and thought- 
ful provision for every possible necessity are eveiywhere apparent. 

But our buggy is in waiting, and the morning wanes apace. A few 
minutes' drive brings us to an establishment of a widely different character. 
We have left the home provided for men who can no longer fight the 
battle of life for themselves ; and now approach an institution intended to 
instruct its inmates in methods of self-support and public usefulness. The 
Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute is before us, with its quaint 
Byzantine ordered buildings, its busy crowd of pupils, and its general 
scholastic air of order and repose. 

Whatever may be thought of the capacity for mental improvement of 
the negro race, — and that there are two sides to the question no candid 
spirit will deny, — it must be admitted that at this institution, under the 
excellent superintendence of General Armstrong, the labor of providing 
for them teachers of their own race is admirably carried out. Not only 
are the pupils of the institute instructed in mere scholastic learning, but 
workshops, where various trades and handicrafts can be acquired, are 
carried on for their benefit ; and the farm attached to the college affords 



IS 

practical instruction in the useful art of agriculture. A printing office, 
whence very creditable work is turned out, is one of the features of the 
place, and a twelve-page periodical here published has an extensive and 
deserved circulation. 

The African is not the only race to which the Hampton Normal Insti- 
tute extends its benefits. About seventy of those other wards of the 
nation, the red men of the plains, are here domiciled to learn the self- 
supporting virtues of civilization. The officers of the college speak in 
high terms of the proficiency of these strange pupils ; and it is proposed, 
hereafter, to maintain a certain permanent number here, replacing those 
whose education is completed by new and untaught members of the vari- 
ous tribes. The experiment, at all events, is worth trying, and time alone 
can show how far it may be destined to succeed. 

But further examination of this seat of learning must for the present be 
postponed ; and if you are wise in your generation, you will consecrate a 
day to a visit hitherward, and study its workings and its management 
exhaustively. Just now we're bound for Hampton ; and if we would 
visit that quaint old town this morning, and be back by dinner-time to the 
hotel, it behooves us, in the expressive vernacular of the parts adjacent 
hereto, to *'hump ourselves," or we shall be too late. Another bridge, 
that spans the creek of Hampton, has to be crossed ; and passing by some 
fine suburban residences, we find ourselves in the streets of the town that 
stands upon the spot where bold John Smith ate oysters and made merry 
with his hospitable aboriginal entertainers. 

The great attraction of the city, which all good pilgrims are enjoined 
to visit, is its venerable church; and while we dutifully progress thither- 
ward, let me tell you, out of the chronicles of Virginia, something about 
the history of the old town through which we are passing. 

Enumerating the tributaries of the lower James, the garrulous and 
precise Capt. Smith remarks in his Trtte Relations : " From the south there 
falls into it : first the pleasant river of Apomatuck ; next, more to the east, 
are two small rivers ; a little farther are inhabitants of Warra-Koyac ; 
then the river of Nansamund and lastly the brook Chesapeack, From the 
north side is the river Chickahamania, the back river of Jamestown; 
another by the Cedar Isle where we lived ten weeks upon oysters ; and 
then a convenient harbor for fisher boats at Kecoughtan, that so turneth 
itself into bays and creeks ; it makes that place very pleasant to inhabit ; 
their cornfields being girded there in a manner as peninsulas." How 
accurate is this description of old Kecoughtan will be evident to any one 
who may take the trouble to explore the numerous little bays and inlets 
that indent the shores of Hampton creek. 

The town of Hampton was settled by the English as early as i6io, 
although its modern name was not bestowed upon it until a much later 
period. Its chief value to the early colonist was as a base of supplies and 
port of departure for their expeditions up the York, Rappahannock, 
Potomac, and other rivers of the Chesapeake. In 1634 it was erected into 
a parish under the incumbency of the Rev. Mr. Bucke, for whom a church 
was erected by the settlers. This church, falling into decay, was replaced 
between the years 1660 and 1667 by the present church of St. John's. 



i6 

In 1705, the settlement was incorporated into a town under the name of 
Hampton ; and in the later colonial days was a place of some importance 
for the shipment of produce and the importation of British goods and 
manufactures. One of the earliest engagements of the Revolutionary war 
was the successful defense of the town by the inhabitants, aided by a rifle 
company, against the boats of a British fleet, in October, 1 775. In 1813 
the town was less fortunate, being attacked by Admiral Cockburn and Sir 
Sidney Beckwilh with a flotilla of boats, and captui-ed after a short but 
decisive action. On this occasion the unhappy place was given up to 
pillage, and the inhabitants who had been unable to flee were subjected to 
most shameful indignities and barbarities. Even the British commander 
was moved to indignation at the excesses he was unable to prevent; and, 
answering a congratulatory letter from his commanding general at Nor- 
folk, deprecated all praises of his achievement, with the forcible and 
striking remark, "Worthless is the laui^el that is steeped in woman's 
tears." 

A less barbarous but almost equally unhappy fate overtook the town in 
the early part of the late war; when the entire place, save only one solitary 
dwelling, was burned to ashes. 

The old church which we are about to visit, though erected in the seven- 
teenth centuiy, was thoroughly repaired and reconsecrated in 1 830. The 
records of its vestry extend back to 1751, and the church itself, with its 
monuments and mementoes of the past, is one of the most interesting 
relics now extant of colonial times and manners. 

So much for old Kecoughtan and modern Hampton. The westering 
sun warns us that we have stayed the full limit of our time, and must hurry 
homeward. Evidently our intelligent steed is of the same opinion ; for 
as he turns into the well-known Old Point road, his pace quickens as he 
thinks of coming oats ; and save that by special legal ordinance he is 
perforce compelled to cross the bridges at a walk, he keeps his rapid gait 
until the hospitable doors of our hotel are once more before us. 

A bountiful dinner, in which a prominent part is played by a noble 
sheepshead, who but this morning was swimming tranquilly about, 
unconscious of his coming doom, restores our flickering energies, and at 
the same time induces in us that placid, tranquil frame of mind, when all 
exertion is a bore, and satisfied nature longs only for repose and contem- 
plation. So, instead of walking along the beach to see the target-firing, 
suppose we plant ourselves at the end of one of the upper verandas of the 
hotel, and accomplish the same object with less fatigue and more comfoit? 
Vou smoke ? Ah, well, at least you won't object to my enjoying the luxury 
of a cigar; and while you watch the firing, and speculate upon the 
chances of the target being struck next time, I can pour into your thirsty 
soul a little more information for its refreshment. 

This artillery firing, at which you are looking with so much interest, is 
no idle performance, no mere occasional practice with the guns, such as 
might perhaps be witnessed at some remote frontier post ; but an appointed 
portion of a settled system of education. For here at Fortress Monroe is 
the celebrated Artillery School, of which perhaps you have already heard, 
which all artillery officers of the United States army, in succession, are 



17 

ordered to attend for a space of two years. As to the methods and meritb 
of the plan of instruction, I can tell you very little, and even that little 
had better be left unsaid ; lest some authority and expert in the technic- 
alities of gunnery fall foul of my modest exposition, and overwhelm me 
with his ridicule. But of one thing I can assure you, without fear of 
contradiction; the school adds mightily to the attractions of Old Point 
Comfort for visitors, since it leads to the stationing here of some fifty army 
officers, who form no inconsiderable or unwelcome addition to the society 
congregated at the Hygeia. 

Thus in quiet conversation slips the afternoon away, until the hour 
comes for dress parade inside the Fortress, of course we're going to the 
dress parade. To be at Old Point Comfort and not attend it, would be to 
argue ourselves misanthropical, and altogether unfit for the society of our 
species; and so of course we join the crowd that passes from the hotel 
along the wooden sidewalk leading to the nearest postern. Crossing the 
moat, we enter through the sentried gate, and find ourselves upon the 
broad road that sweeps around the interior foot of the ramparts. Were it 
not for the blue-coats about us, we might almost fancy ourselves in a 
thriving, peaceful village, rather than an historic fortress. About us to 
the left, are dotted houses of various styles and sizes, many of them with 
clustering vines embowering them, and shade trees sheltering their porches ; 
while to the right extends what seems to be a street of white-fronted 
dwellings, set close together, and singularly alike in their appearance ; 
but which really is a line of casemates, converted into peaceful-looking 
dwellings for the officers. 

As we stroll, the band strikes up from the parade-ground, and, quicken- 
ing our pace, we station ourselves beneath one of the sturdy live-oaks 
encircling the campus, and watch the evolutions. "All present, or 
accounted for," proclaims the adjutant; the commanding officer puts the 
troops through a brief drill ; the ©fficers assemble, advance and salute ; 
the band strikes up a lively march, and the enlisted men move off in order 
to their barracks, and so the dress parade is over for to-day. 

And now the hour is drawing near when you shall see Old Point Com- 
fort at its very brightest, and rejoice exceedingly to think you came. For 
now supper is over, and the time approaches for the hop. Saw you ever 
a finer ball-room in your life? A spacious and lofty pavilion, with two 
sides open to the Sea, it combines the two great requisites of ample room, 
and cool, fresh, ever- changing air. The waxed floor shines like a mirror, 
and as the band strikes up the Blue Danube, S.nd the twirling waltzers fill 
the room, the fever of Terpsichore attacks you also, and you cast an 
anxious glance around, to see if haply you may not recognize some fair 
being who may grace you as a partner. The population of the Point, 
guests, residents and all, are here assembled, and in the midst of the merry 
making. A sonorous whistle announces the approach of a steamer from 
Norfolk, with a band of excursionists on board, on pleasure bent, to swell 
the joyous crowd. Play, music ! Dance, lightsome feet and happy hearts ! 
The gentle south wind that breathes through the open casements, fresh 
from the bay, is like an encouraging kiss from heaven upon the brow, and 
never for an instant chills the ardor of the dancers. 



i8 

Outside the ball-room runs a broad and well-floored breakwater, rising 
almost directly from the sea ; and thither, with your good leave, we will 
draw our chairs, and listen to the music and look out upon the night, at 
one and the same time. Tell me now, if ever in your life you experi- 
enced anything more enjoyable. The murmur of the waves, as they kiss 
the sandy beach beneath your feet, mingles harmoniously with the music 
from the ball-room. The breeze that fans your cheek has never a touch 
of fever upon its wings ; the stars are smiling lovingly overhead ; and 
from the east, where the waning moon rises above the horizon, a golden 
pathway comes across the waters, and dances gently to the movement of 
the waves. On the one side is all the life and animation of the busy 
dancers ; on the other, the quiet beauty, and the hushed solemnity of sea 
and sky by night. Confess, now, that a single evening's enjoyment such 
as this is worth coming to Old Point Comfort to experience. 

And so the evening fades into night. One by one the dancers have 
dropped off and dispersed to their various places of repose ; even the 
band — to use a justifiable piece of slang — has "played out;", and we find 
ourselves alone upon the breakwater beside the sounding beach. 

Our day at Old Point Comfort is ended ; and although we have by no 
means exhausted the sights and pleasures of the locality, I shall leave 
you to admire and discover them for yourself, and inflict my society upon 
you no longer. You may — an if you will, — commence the day to-mor- 
row with a plunge- into the healthful salt water in front of the hotel. You 
may cross the strait and explore the mazes of the unfinished, useless, 
costly fort that crowns the artificial island of the Rip Raps. Or if your 
tastes be nautical or piscatorial, the whole expanse of Hampton Roads 
and of the lordly Chesapeake is all before you, with staunch and swift 
sailing-boats at your command ; and at your pleasure you may seek to 
woo a sheepshead to your hook for dinner, or follow the footsteps of Smith 
and his companions among the neighboring creeks and bays. And when 
the evening falls around you once again, if you be at all romantically 
inclined, and can secure a fitting companion, let me whisper in your ear 
that there are few places more adapted for a romantic moonlight stroll, 
than the turf-covered ramparts of Fortress Monroe. 

With which parting hint, the present writer leaves you to your own 
devices, and bids you lovingly adieu. 




CDoc 



TESTIMONIALS. 



— 0-— j3]J>>— 0— 



That visitors may safely seek Old Point Comfort as a health resort at all seasons of 
the year, 1 submit the following letters of Drs. farvis, Archer, Shield, Hope, Mal- 
lory, Sintpkins, and Vaughan, and of fames S. French^ Esq. (who for ten years was 
the proprietor of the old Hygeia Hotel), which are addressed to Joseph Segar, Esq., 
who was for many years, prior to the war, proprietor of the hotel here ; and also 
those of foseph R. Smith, Surgeon U. S. A., and G. William Setnple, M. D., of 
Hampton, Va, While all but the last two were written years before I becam.e pro- 
prietor of the Hygeia Hotel, they are none the less valuable and interesting to those 
who desire information concerning this locality. 



Fort Monroe, Va., February nth, 1857. 

My Dear Sir : — I acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday, asking my 
opinion as to the " character of Old Point Comfort for health, and particularly as to its 
exemption from diseases of a bilious character." 

A residence of three years at Old Point Comfort as the surgeon of this post enables 
me to bear full testimony to its well-known salubrity, and the reputation it has hereto- 
fore enjoyed in its exemption from the ordinary forms of disease, especially those of a 
malarial or febrile nature usually prevailing during the spring or autumnal months in 
ether sections of the country and neighborhood. 

The records of the military hospital for years past further confirm my own experi- 
ence, not only in this fortunate exemption from that class of disease ordinarily arising 
from malaria, but in the less frequency as well as diminished severity of those epi- 
demics that have from time to time prevailed in almost every portion of our country. 
I remain yours, very respectfully, 

N. S. JARVIS, M. D., Surgeon U. S. A. 
Joseph Segar, Esq., Roseland, Va. 



Richmond, August 7th, 1856. 

My Dear Sir : — Your favor, requesting my opinion as to the general healthiness of 
Old Point Comfort, is received, and I hasten to reply. 

I resided at Old Point, as Post Surgeon and as Physician, upwards of twenty years, 
and I have no hesitation in saying that there are few, if any, localities in the United 
States more healthy at all seasons of the year. 

I know of no place more exempt from bilious diseases, and I have never known a 
case of intermittent fever to originate there. 

In fine, I consider visitors from any climate as safe from disease at Old Point Com- 
fort during the autumn months as they would be in the mountains, or anywhere at the 
North. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

R.ARCHER. 

(19) 



20 

Hampton, August 23d, 1856. 

Dear Sir : — Yours of yesterday's date, asking my opinion of the health of Old 
Point Comfort, is before me. 
_ I have been practising medicine in Hampton and Old Point for fifteen years, and con- 
sider it as healthy a place as any I know on the face of the earth. I do not remember 
having seen there a case of remittent or intermittent fever that was not contracted else- 
where. Very respectfully, 

R. S. SHIELD. 
Joseph Segar, Esq., Hygeia Hotel. 



Hampton, August 22d, 1856. 

My Dear Sir : — In reply to your queries contained in your note of the 7th inst., it 
gives me pleasure to state that, in my opinion. Old Point Comfort is as healthy a 
locality as any on the Atlantic coast. 

Persons from any part of our country may remain there through the entire year with 
perfect safety. The diseases of all this region, I may add, have become very much 
modified of late, as any one at all familiar with the causes which produce them might 
upon the slightest observation perceive. An ordinary case of bilious fever seldom re- 
quires more than two or three days' treatment. 

I have not, during a practice of more than five years in this vicinity, seen a case of 
intermittent or bilious fever which originated at Old Point. Yours, truly, 

JESSE E. HOPE. 
Joseph Segar, Esq., Roseland. 



Norfolk, Va., August 25th, 1856. 

Dear Sir : — In regard to the health at Old Point, I have only to remark, that, having 
been familiar with the place ever since my boyhood, I speak confidently when 1 declare 
it to be among the healthiest spots on the continent of America. Bilious and ague 
fever are unknown there, while in all our epidemics it has escaped unharmed. I would 
sooner take my chance at Old Point to avoid those diseases in summer and fall than the 
mountains, or even at the White Sulphur. For eight years I resided in the vicinity of 
Old Point, and for the remainder of my life in Norfolk, and was thus afforded ample 
opportunity of ascertaining the fact in question. Since 1819, when the extensive public 
works were commenced. Old Point has contained quite a large population, made up of 
the military and persons connected with the Engineer Department, to say nothing of 
other citizens and visitors. These have enjoyed, at all seasons, an unexampled share of 
excellent health. 

The United States Government has, on several occasions, sent troops to Old Point from 
other stations to recruit their health, and with the desired effect. What induced this was, 
doubtless, the favorable reports of the Army Surgeons as to the sanitary character of 
the place. We cannot account for tastes, nor can we control fashion ; but it has always 
been a matter of surprise to me that visitors should leave the Point just at the time when 
it is most pleasant. The latter part of August and the whole of September are among 
the healthiest and most agreeable periods to remain at Old Point ; for the air is bracing, 
and yet mild during the day, and at night you sleep comfortably under a blanket. Hog 
fish and oysters are of much finer flavor than in July, and the fishing far better than in 
the extreme heat of the summer. No one within the broad limits of the Old Dominion 
can have failed to appreciate the beauty of our Indian Summer (so called). This, while 
it endures some few weeks in other localities, lasts the whole fall at the Point, com- 
mencing about the 20th of August. I can give no stronger proof of the earnestness and 
sincerity of my convictions on this head, than by declaring that if the authorities would 
grant me permission to erect a cottage on the beach, I would gladly avail myself of the 
privilege with a view to residing there all summer and fall with my family. But I will 
not enlarge on this topic. There is, and there can be, no dispute on this subject, since 
all who know the place will endorse every word I have uttered. The health of Old 
Point, and its exemption from the fall diseases of our climate, are facts too well estab- 
lished to admit of cavil or doubt ; indeed, to quote the words of a conspicuous politician, 
it is a "fixed fact." Very respectfully, 

F. MALLORY, M.D. 

Joseph Segar, Hygeia Hotel. 



21 

Norfolk, August 24th, 1856. 
Joseph Segar, Esq. 

Dear Sir : — Having spent my school-boy days in the immediate vicinity of Old 
Point, and being somewhat familiar for many years with the hygienic condition of the 
people— residents and guests who annually assemble there — I am enabled to answer your 
inquiry with entire confidence in the correctness of my conclusions. This experience 
has satisfied me that no locality in our latitude can be more healthy. Unconnected with 
" the main," save by a narrow strip of beach land, which is only partially covered with 
a stunted vegetation ; its sources everywhere washed by the salt ocean wave, and not a 
sunken spot where vegetable humus can gather — it seems to me utterly impossible that 
malaria can be generated there, or that noxious airs can reach it from any portion of the 
adjacent country. Come from whatever point of the compass the winds may, they are 
sea breezes still, and could scarcely waft a poisonous exhalation from the distant shores 
abroad. 

In my estimation, fevers of a bilious, remittent, or intermittent type might as soon be 
expected to originate on the highest peak of the Blue Ridge as on the clean, barren sand 
plain on which the Hygeia Hotel is built. - Yours, truly, 

J. J.SIMPKINS. 



Hampton, Va., March 30th, 1857. 

My Dear Sir : — I have received your letter requesting my opinion of the general 
healthiness of Old Point Comfort, and particularly as to its exemption from bilious 
diseases. 

In reply to your inquiry, it gives me pleasure to state, that I know of no place in 
Virginia with which Old Point Comfort will not, in that respect, favorably compare ; 
and I do not remember ever to have seen a case of bilious fever which originated at 
that place. Yours, respectfully, 

WILLIAM R. VAUGHAN, M.D. 
Joseph Segar, Esq., Roseland. 



Alexandria, August 25th, 1856. 

My Dear Sir : — In reply to yours of 2olh instant, I can only say, that the healthiest 
spot I have ever known is Old Point Comfort; and this I say after a residence there of 
eight or nine years. A very mistaken notion prevails as to its health in August and the 
fall months, and there are persons who deem it unsafe to remain there at such times. 
My own experience teaches me that, for comfort and health, Old Point is far more de- 
sirable in August and the fall months than earlier. Fish and oysters are in greater per- 
fection, and no climate can be purer, or more delightful, or healthier. At any season of 
the year, spring, summer, autumn, or winter, I would as soon take my chance for 
health there as at the White Sulphur Springs, or any watering-place in America. 

Yours, very truly, 

JAMES S. FRENCH. 
Joseph Segar, Esq., Roseland, Eliz. City Co., Va. 



Fort Monroe, Va., June 17th, 1876. 

My Dear Sir : — I hasten to reply to your favor of this date making inquiry " as to 
the healthiness of Old Point Comfort, and its sanitary advantages." 

My knowledge of the subject is obtained from the statistical records of the post, ex- 
tending back for many years, and from personal experience. 

And first as to the general health of the place, it appears that the percentage of sickness 
is less than the average, as is also the percentage of the mortality to the number of the 
sick, and to the whole number of the population. Children of all ages thrive here. 
Epidemics of the diseases of children seldom prevail, and when prevalent, have almost 
invariably been mild in type. 

Among the vis' tors during the summer, the number of cases of disease occurring has 
been very small, and the favorable hygienic surroundings have rendered them brief and 
easily influenced by treatment. 

Nutritious and palatable food is abundant. 



22 

The temperature of the sea bathing is intermediate to the temperature of the New 
England watering places and those of the Gulf, and is therefore on some accounts 
preferable to either. During the summer months the ocean breezes almost constantly 
blow, for obtaining the full benefits of which the construction and exposure of the 
hotel are exceptionally happy. 

From the above facts pleasure and health seekers may draw their own conclusions. 
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

JOSEPH R. SMITH, 
Brevet Colonel and Surgeon^ U. S. A. 
H, Phoebus, Esq., Hygeia Hotel. 



Hampton, Va., June 17th, 1876. 

My Dear Sir : — I reply with pleasure to your communication. Having practised 
medicine among the residents at Old Point Comfort and the visitors at the Hygeia 
Hotel for nearly thirty years, ever since the old Hygeia was built, except during the 
years of the war, and never having known a case of malarious fever to originate at the 
hotel, I am satisfied that visitors, come trom what quarter they may, are as safe there 
during all the months of summer and autumn as at any mountain watering place. At 
this pleasant resort the healthy are made stronger, and the sickly and debilitated are in- 
vigorated by the salt sea breezes which constantly blow, from whatever point they come 
over the salt sea water, and by the delightful salt bath in the surf, at the very door of the 
hotel, more delightful than that of the watering places on the Gulf or those of the North, 
because cooler than the one and not so cold as the other ; and for its sanitary effect in 
many cases superior to either. This is particularly applicable to children ; even the 
little sufferers from the great dread of all mothers, the summer complaint, are generally 
restored as if by magic, and all, not past all hope of recovery, may expect to be bene- 
fited. Visitors from elevated and mountainous regions, suffering from bronchial and 
asthmatic affections, are uniformly benefited. 

The present new " Hygeia " is far superior to the old hotel, both in location and 
construction. The former, a low and ill-constructed building, was situated immediately 
under the walls of the fort, by which and other obstructions the winds were cut off; 
the latter, elevated and admirably constructed for ventilation, stands on the most pro- 
jecting point of the promontory, immediately on the water's edge, affording from its 
broad and shady porticoes and spacious pavilion a magnificent water view in every 
direction, and full scope for the winds. 

Very respectfully, yours, &c., 

G. WILLIAM SEMPLE, M. D. 
To H. Phoebus, Esq., Hygeia Hotel. 



The following- pages, in connection with 

the map, will show the various 

routes to and from Old 

Point Comfort, Va. 



■^ — THE — ^ 









IS THE ONLY ROUTE TO THE 



White Sulphur Springs 

AND THE OTHER MOST FAMOUS AND FASHIONABLE 

►il-WATERING-PLACES AND SUMMER RESORTS -P^ 



-OF THE- 



MOUNTAINS I VIRGINIAS 



It is Unparallelled and Unapproachable for the Wildness, Sublimity, and Picturesque 

Beauty of its Scenery, and the Healing Virtues of its Health-giving 

Fountains. It is the SHORT LINE 

AND IS SECOND TO NONE IN 

CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT, AND APPLIANCES 




-FOR THE- 



SAFETY* COMFORT of its PASSENGERS 



THROUGH TICKKTS 

TO ALL WESTERN TOWNS AND CITIES 



-AND- 



EXCURSION TICKETS 

To the WATERING-PLACES and SUMMER RESORTS 

ARE FOR SALE VIA THIS LINE 

At all Principal Ticket Offices Everywhere. 



CONWAY R. HOWARD, J. C. DAME, 

Gen'l Passenger and Ticket Agent. Southern Passenger Agenti 

23 



RAILROAD "LINES" 

FOR THE 

White | Franconia Mountains 

Lake George, Lake Champlain, Adirondack Mountains, 

MOUNT MANSFIELD (Stowe, Vt.), 

HIGHGATE, ALBURGH, AND SHELDON SPRINGS, 

Montreal, Thousand Islands, 

Quebec, RapidsfSt. Lawrence River, 

BURLINGTON (on Lake Champlain), #ST. ALBAN'S, 

AND ALL THE SUMMER RESORTS OF 

New Hainp8l|ire,Yern?ont,ai|d Nortliern New York. 

»-«■• 

PULLMAN OR WAGNER CARS MM EXPRESS TRAINS 



New Combinations of Routes Vr\T> A Q70 
And Greatly Reduced Rates r^^ lO/y. 

« ♦ » 

This Company issues annually a book entitled the "SUMMER EXCURSIONIST," 
Handsomely Illustrated, giving a List of Routes and Rates for Excursion Tickets, 
also a full description of all Routes and Summer Resorts, which is now ready for 
distribution, and can be obtained FREE, on application in person or by letter, at 
Ticket Offices in Boston, New York, Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Newark, Philadelphia, 
Baltimore, Washington, and Principal Ticket Offices of Pennsylvania and North 
Pennsylvania Railroads, or of S. W. Cummings, General Passenger Agent, St. Alban's, 
Vermont. 

».^_ 

PRINCIPAL OFFICES: 

417 Broadway, New York, WM. F. SMITH, Aerent. 

322 Washington St., Boston, T. EDWARD BOND, Agent. 

136 St. James St., Montreal, GEO. PHIPPEN, Agent. 



G. W. BENTLEY, J. W. HOBART, S. W, C7MMINaS, 

Gen'l Manager. GenH Superintendent, GenH Passenger Agent. 

CITAS. A. BJROWN, Traveling A^ent, St. Alban's, Vt. 

24 



ATLANTIC COAST LINE 

BETWEEN THE 

NORTH AND SOUTH 

VIA RICHMOND AND WILMINGTON. 

.-♦-. 

This GREAT THOROUGHFARE is prepared to offer to all classes of Travel superior 

inducements in the way of 

Rapid Transit, Perfect System of Through Trains, 



-AND- 



►il-PULLMAN SLEEPING-CAR ACCOMMODATIONS-!:^ 

These, with the many recent improvements, must absolutely command the attention 

of all persons contemplating 

TRAVELING TO OR FROM THE NORTH OR SOUTH. 



By this Line the following IMPORTANT POINTS are most readily reached, viz.: 
CHARLESTON, COLUMBIA, AIKEN, 

AUGUSTA, SAVANNAH, THOMASVILLE, 

JACKSONVILLE, ST. AUGUSTINE, TALLAHASSEE, 
FERNANDINA, ATLANTA, MACON, 

COLUMBUS, EUFAULA, MONTGOMERY, 

SELMA, MOBILE, NEW ORLEANS, 

GALVESTON, 

And all Intermediate Points from the NORTH and EAST. 



During the FALL and WINTER SEASONS 

A THOROUGH ORGANIZATION OF 

PARLOR CARS and PULLMAN SLEEPERS 

Is in operation with an ESPECIAL VIEW TO THE COMFORT of 

FLORIDA TRAVELERS 



Persons desiring any information, &c., in reference to Florida and the South, are 
iflvited to apply to 

JONAH H. "WHITE, Southern Passenger Agent, 
GENEHAIL OFFICE, No, 229 Broadtvay, New York, 

A. POPE, Gen'l Pass'r and Ticket Agent. 

A. SHAW, Sup't R. & P. K. R. K. M. SULLY, Gen'l Sup't P. E. E. 

MA Yist, i87g. 



25 



AtlantigJississippiiOhio 



-^' 



^SJH- 



Virginia & Tennessee Air-Line 



FOR ALL POINTS 




-VIA- 



OLD DOMINION STEAMSHIP CO. 

FROM NEW YORK, 

^ MAGNIFICENT BAY LINE STEAMERS 

FROM BALTIMORE. 



Southern People visiting or sojourning at New York, Philadelphia, or Baltimore 
are solicited to return home by this Popular Route and enjoy the Bracing and 
Exhilarating Air of the Chesapeake Bay in exchange for the heat and dust incident 
to other routes. A few days can be pleasantly spent at Hygeia Hotel, Old Point Com- 
fort, Va , the "Saratoga of the South," or at Norfolk, the marine terminus of the 
Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad, with which connection is made for 



PETERSBURG, 
GREENSBORO, 
KNOXVIL.L.E, 
MEMPHIS, 
DAL.TON, 



RICHMOND, 
LYNCHBURG, 
CHATTANOOGA, 
VICKSBURG, 

SEIiMA, 



MONTGOMERY, 



MOBILE, 



DANVIIiLE, 
BRISTOL., 
NASHVILLE, 
MERIDIAN, 
ATLANTA, 
And NEW ORLEANS. 



No other Line traverses a country that has so many Battle-fields and so full of His- 
torical Incidents. The traces of war, in the shape of injuries by shell and shot to the 
buildings during the protracted Siege of Petersburg have been almost removed, but 
outside of the city the lines of the hostile armies are still well defined. The celebrated 
"Crater" is still an object of intense interest to all travelers. This GREAT 
THOROUGHFARE penetrates the heart of the OLD DOMINION, Norfolk to 
Bristol, Tenn., 408 miles, crossing the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains, every 
few miles of which presents something of interest to the Tourist. 



PULLMAN SLEEPERS 

ON ALL NIGHT TRAINS. 



T'l />IXC"TQ On Sale at 229 and 303 Broadway, N. Y., 
I lv>iVC 1 O and at General Offices, Baltimore. 

THOS.'PINKNEY, General Agent, 

303 Broadway, New York. 

26 



WINE ITEA WAREHOUSE 



•i^R.vcenR'FpiEYv^vBi^e.* 

No. 14 North Charles Street, 

CORNER FAYETTE STREET, 

BALTIMORE, 

Importers and JDealers in 

WINES, BRANDIES, 

HAVANA CIGARS, FINE TEAS, 



-AND- 






CE GROCERIES 



PURVEYORS OF PROVISIONS, 
ARMY AND NAVY SUPPLIES, 
TABLE REQUISITES, 

And ARTICLES of LUXURY. 



SOLE AGENTS IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THE 

Grand Vin d' Angleterre Champagne, 

AND PROPRIETORS OF THE CELEBRATED 

"CLUB-HOUSE" PURE RYE WHISKY. 



27 



JAMES RIVER BY DAYLIGHT! 




FIRST-CLASS MAIL->PASSENGER ROUTE 

BETWEEN 

M) ?0!NTXCOMFOiFr) 

(FORTRESS MONROE), 

AND NORFOLK. 



The RICHEST RIVER IN AMERICA 



IN 



COLONIAL AND WAR SCENERY. f 



TFUDnnr'U nTT/TT/nnrCr over this Beautiful Route on Sale 
IrlKUUUll llUl\liliD At all principal Ticket Offices 

NORTH, SOUTH, m WEST 



Guide to James River just published, sent free on application 



FRANK BINFORD, J. W. McCARRICK, - 

l*ass'r Agent f Jtlchniondf Va, A.ffent, Norfolk, Va. 

L. B. TATUM, Supt., Richmond, Va. 

28 



r-^-JD 



^mm 




iiiigtf Of i, # iiiiiHiii. 



fj 



s^-?^ 



-TUDE- 



-^?~-j) 



SUBOAIlDilNLAi COASTING CO. 

ARE NOW RUNNING THEIR SPLENDID STEAMERS 

-LAOr OF THE LAKE"^y'JANE MOSELEY' 



LEAVING BOSTON WHARF, NORFOLK, EVERY 

TUESDAY, THiiRQnAV SATURDAY, 
WEDNESDAY, * HUHbUAY, SUNDAY, 

.£i>Jc ^.OO IP. :Lv£., for 

IMINdmaORdETOINiAlEBNDHU 

CONNECTING WITH TRAIN FOR 

Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York 

AND VIRGINIA MIDLAND RAILROAD FOR 



^ 



%wm 



mtM 



W9. 



It: 






- $1.00 
I To Washington and Return, 1.5 O 



p A p F ! To Washington^ - 



TICKETS SOLD, STATE-ROOMS RESERVED, and ORDERSfor BAGGAGE RECEIVED by 
W. T. WALKE, under Atlantic Hotel. 

» .^ , 

RETURNING, LEAVES WASHINGTON EVERY 

MONDAY, wFHNF^nAY FRIDAY, 
TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, SATURDAY, 

-^^t 5.00 IP. n^vd:.. 



STOPPING 
AT 



OLD POINT COMFORT 



EACH 
WAY. 



V. D. GROWER, Agent, Norfolk, Va. 



29 



JNO. H. WILLIAMS & CO. 

(SUCCESSORS TO L MORRISON & CO.), 

N. E. COR. SHARP and GERMAN STS., BALTIMORE. 



PROPRIETORS OF THE 

MARYLAND GAS-WORKS 

BUILDERS OF 

GASlWATER WORKS, STEAM-FITTERS, 

MANUFACTURERS OF LIFT AND FORCE PUMPS, 

Dealers in PLUMBING MATERIAL and every Va.- 

riety of MACHINERY AND APPLIANCES for 

Supplying Towns, Public Buildings, Country 

Residences, Railroad Stations, &c., with 

GAS, WATER and STEAM. 

Best Quality of Gas and Lubricating- Oils Manufactured, Single 
and Double Action and Lift and Force Pumps. 



May Brothers' Windmills. 

Union Manufacturing Co.'s Punnps. 

Smith, Vale & Co.'s Improved Cam and Fly Wheel 

Steam Pumps. 
Peet Valve Co.'s Patent Double Disk Valves for 

Steam, Water, Oil, Gas, &c. 
Hancock Inspirator — The Best Feeder known for 

Marine, Locomotive, and Stationary Boilers. 
Asbestos Packing Co.'s Asbestos Steam and other 

Packing. 
Asbestos Boiler, Pipe Covering, &c. 
Pipe and Boiler Covering put on and guaranteed. 

30 




"STRAIGHT"— Rare Old Virginia. 



" HALVES"— Rare Ofd Perique and Virginia. 



New Combination of these Fragrant Tobaccos. 

31 



SPRING AND SUMMER ARRANGEMENT 

BOSTON,«§PROVIDENCE 



'THE ONLY DIRECT LINE FROM NORFOLK. 



TiaiiE- 



Mh£ & Minsrs' Transportation Co. 

Are now running their NEW" and Splendid FIRST-CLASS 
PASSENOER and FREIOHT Steamships, 

"JOHNS HOPKINS," "WILLIAM CRANE," 

Capt. Wm. A. Hallett, Capt. S. Howes. 

"GEORGE APPOLD," "WILLIAM LAWRENCE," 

Capt. W. Loveland. Capt. F. M. Howes. 

LEAVING NORFOLK EVERY 

— i ^TUESDAY AND FRIDAYJi^i^ 

Jk.T 5 O'OXiOOiC, IP. 1^{L. 



The REGULARITY, SAFETY, and DISPATCH of these Steamships can not be surpassed 



A Freight Steamer will leave Norfolk for Providence every 
WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY. 



LOW RATES "^ T.%'r.l.our GUARANTEED, 



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, APPLY TO 

V. D. GRONER, Agent, 

May 6th, 1879. NOHFOJLK, VA. 

32 




^;^SYLVAJV/ 




-^ 



Great Tkujvk Liin^e and U. S. Mail Route 



OFFERS TO THE 

TRAVELER 
BETWEEN THE 




wTr» y»y ory 




UNEQUALED 

INDUCEMENTS IN 

THE WAY OF 



_/ 



SPEED! COMFORT! SAFETY! 



STEEL RAILS! DOUBLE TRACK! STONE BALLAST! 



NO SMOKE! NO DUST! FAST TIME! 



PULLMAN PALACE CARS 



•^J-V FROM Ss^l— 

J^EW YORK, 

PHILADELPHIA, 
BALTI3IOBE, 
and 
WASHINGTON 



CHICAGO, 

CINCINNATI, 
LOUISVILLE, 

INDIANA POLLS, 
And ST. LOUIS 



WITHOUT CHANGE. 



* ^ ■ 



THE FINEST 

LINES OF*^ 



^HeifELvC^RS 



^ 
^ 



IN THE 
WORLD 



-^ B E T "WE E IsT ■•-»- •- 



vNEW YORK 



AND 



AND 



\. 



NEW YORK 



AND 



CHICAGO 



^ 



\ST. LOUIS. 



IT is in iniuor details, as well as in leading features, that the excellence 
of the PENNSYLiVANIA RAILROAD management is conspicuous. A 
rigid observance is required on the part of all employees of the rules 
laid down for their guidance, a cardinal point of Tvhich is a polite atten- 
tion to the wants and comfort of passengers temporarily in their charge. 



FRANK THOMSON, 

General Manager. 



L P. FARMER, 

General Passenger Agent. 



THE BAY LINE 



-FOK- 



NORFOLK, FT. MONROE 



-AND THE- 



-^\-^-^. 




'r^T^hCSi' 



The Bay Line comprises the New and Elegant Steamers 

"VIRGINIA," "CAROLINA," m "FLORIDA" 



All the Comfurls and Luxuries of a First-Class Hotel are afforded the Traveler. 
Spacious and Elegant Saloons and State-Rooms, Furnished with an Especial View to 
Comfort. Unsurpassed Cuisine, which is made a Specialty with this Line Elegant 
Service and Courteous Attention. The Saloons and State-Rooms are Heated with 
Steam and kept at a Pleasant and Comfortable Temperature. 



>e®=PIease Note the Convenient Hours of Departure: 



Leave New York, via Pennsylvania Railroad, - - - - - - 4.C0 P. M. 

" Philadelphia, via Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad, 6.00 P. M. 

" Baltimore, from Canton \Vharf on arrival of New York Train, 9.00 P. M. 

Steamers leave Union Dock for Canton Wharf, - - - - - - 7.00 P.M. 

Note.— The 12.55 JP. M. Train from NEW YORK connects also with the 
Bay Line Steamers at Bahimore. 



Leave Portsmouth and Norfolk, 5.30 P.M. 

" Old Point Comfort, - - 700 P.M. 

Arrive Baltimore, ...-. 7.30 A.M. 

" Philadelphia, - - - - . . 10.50 A.M. 

" New York, - .- 2-00 P. M. 

At OLD POINT COMFORT is located 

^ imiipm Hill4 Mitt 

A Delightful Resort at All Seasons of the Year. 

r7/^D T^ I /^ I/' Cn^O And Information, apply at 
rL-Iri 1 ll^rwLl 1 O Company's Office, 

-HicNO. 157 WEST BALTIMORE STREETsje^ 

OR ON BOARD OF STEAMERS. 
■ » ■ 

W. C. SMITH, Sup't. H. V. TOMPKINS, Pass'r Ag't. EMMET BROWN, Gen'l Tk't Ag't. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




